>>> WELCOME BACK TO "VELSHI AND RUHLE."
RUHLE." THE NATION WATCHED ROBERT
MUELLER TESTIFY BEFORE TWO
CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEES, THE
HOUSE INTELLIGENCE AND HOUSE
JUDICIARY.
JUDICIARY. NOW THAT WE’VE HEARD FROM THE
FORMER SPECIAL COUNSEL HIMSELF
THE QUESTION IS WHAT WILL THE
DEMOCRATIC PARTY DO NEXT?
LET’S BRING IN A MEMBER OF ONE
OF THOSE COMMITTEES, CONGRESSMAN
JIM HIMES FROM CONNECTICUT, A
DEMOCRAT ON THE HOUSE INTEL
COMMITTEE.
COMMITTEE. CONGRESSMAN, THIS IS NOT ABOUT A
SCORE CARD.
SCORE CARD. FOR THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY THE
GOAL IS TO GET THE PRESIDENT OUT
OF OFFICE.
OF OFFICE. WHAT IS YOUR GAME PLAN TODAY?
IS IT THE 2020 ELECTION OR IS IT
IMPEACHMENT?
IMPEACHMENT? >> WELL, THERE CERTAINLY AREN’T
INDICATIONS SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE
NANCY PELOSI IS MOVING FORWARD
WITH IMPEACHMENT AND I THINK SHE
IS AS SHE ALWAYS DOES KEEPING A
VERY, VERY CLOSE EYE ON WHAT IS
HER TOUCHSTONE PUBLIC SENTIMENT.
I THINK -- I HAVEN’T TALKED TO
HER ABOUT IT BUT MY SENSE IS SHE
DOESN’T FEEL PUBLIC SENTIMENT IS
AT A PLACE RIGHT NOW ACROSS THE
COUNTRY WHICH IS DIFFERENT THAN
SOUTHWESTERN CONNECTICUT WHICH
IS WHERE MY DUTIES ARE, I DON’T
THINK SHE’S THERE YET.
YOU KNOW, I DON’T NEED TO TELL
YOU WE’RE NOW GOING AWAY FOR
FIVE OR SIX WEEKS FOR THE AUGUST
VACATION.
VACATION. WE COME BACK AND TIME CONTINUES
TO PASS.
TO PASS. SO LOOK.
SO LOOK. AT THIS POINT I DON’T THINK
THERE IS A LOT TO TALK ABOUT
WITH RESPECT TO IMPEACHMENT.
EVEN IF THERE IS IMPEACHMENT THE
SENATE WILL NEVER CONVICT.
I SEE ABSOLUTELY NO SCENARIO
WHERE THAT HAPPENS.
AS A PRACTICAL MATTER 2020 IS
THE MOMENT OF ACCOUNTABILITY FOR
THIS PRESIDENT.
THIS PRESIDENT. >> BUT A PUBLIC SENTIMENT IS THE
MOST IMPORTANT THING, WHAT DO
DEMOCRATS NEED TO DO?
WE WATCHED THAT HEARING AND WE
WATCHED A REPUBLICAN LOOK AT
ROBERT MUELLER AND, AGAIN, ASK
ABOUT THIS BEING A HOAX AND A
WITCH HUNT.
WITCH HUNT. WHEN YOU AND I, WHO BOTH READ
THE REPORT, KNOW THIS
INVESTIGATION YIELDED 199
CRIMINAL CHARGES.
CRIMINAL CHARGES. >> YEAH.
>> YEAH. THAT IS ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.
YOU KNOW, PUBLIC SENTIMENT IS A
HARD THING TO TALK ABOUT BECAUSE
PUBLIC SENTIMENT IN WESTPORT,
CONNECTICUT AND ZANESVILLE, OHIO
MEAN VERY DIFFERENT THINGS.
WHAT I MEAN IS IF YOU AGREE WITH
ME THERE IS NO WAY THIS
PRESIDENT IS REMOVED THROUGH
IMPEACHMENT, 2020, THERE ARE
FIVE OR SIX STATES THAT ARE ALL
IMPORTANT TO THE 2020 ELECTION
AND I THINK PUBLIC SENTIMENT IN
THOSE STATES IN PARTICULAR IS
PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT IF YOU
ARE THINKING ABOUT 2020 WHICH OF
COURSE IS NOT THE ONLY THING YOU
THINK ABOUT WITH RESPECT TO
IMPEACHMENT.
IMPEACHMENT. IT IS A VERY BIG AND DIVISIVE
THING.
THING. I THINK THERE ARE A LOT OF
AMERICANS OUT THERE, I KNOW
THERE ARE A LOT OF AMERICANS WHO
SAY I KNOW THIS PRESIDENT IS A
LIAR.
LIAR. HE DOESN’T EVEN TRY TO HIDE IT.
I KNOW HE HAS DONE AN AWFUL LOT
OF BAD THINGS BUT I LIKE HIM
BECAUSE OF X, Y, Z.
THIS IS SOMETHING WE DEMOCRATS
NEED TO BE CAREFUL ABOUT.
WHEN I TALK TO MY FRIENDS IN THE
MIDWEST THEY SAY YOU KNOW WHAT?
IT’S FUNNY.
IT’S FUNNY. DONALD TRUMP, MAY NOT LIKE HIM
AT HOME BUT IMPEACHMENT IS NOT
COMING UP A LOT.
THE MUELLER REPORT IS NOT.
YOU KNOW WHAT IS?
HEALTH CARE COSTS.
MY FEAR I WON’T BE ABLE TO
EDUCATE MAY KID.
MY WORRY ABOUT RETIREMENT.
WE CANNOT LOSE THAT MESSAGE.
>> WHAT THE PRESIDENT IS SAYING
TO THOSE PEOPLE IS THAT HE’S
CREATING A NEW FALSE NARRATIVE
THAT HAS IMPACTED PUBLIC
SENTIMENT AND HIS NARRATIVE IS
THE DEMOCRATS ARE ALL SOCIALISTS
WHO ARE GOING TO BLOW UP THE
ENTIRE SYSTEM.
ENTIRE SYSTEM. SO WHAT DO YOU DO WITH THAT
IMPACT IT’S HAD ON PUBLIC
SENTIMENT?
SENTIMENT? >> WELL, I THINK WE SAY TWO
THINGS.
THINGS. NUMBER ONE, NO WE ARE NOT
SOCIALISTS AND I AM HAPPY TO SAY
THAT AND PRETTY MUCH ALL OF MY
DEMOCRATIC COLLEAGUES ARE HAPPY
AS WELL.
AS WELL. WE BELIEVE IN A MARKET ECONOMY.
THE MARKET ECONOMY HAS CREATED
MORE WEALTH ON THE PLANET EARTH
THAN ANY OTHER SINGLE FORCE BUT
IT NEEDS TO BE A REGULATED
MARKET ECONOMY SO WE DON’T EVER
SEE A FINANCIAL MELTDOWN LIKE WE
SAW IN 2008.
BY THE WAY, IT NEEDS TO BE
FAIRER.
FAIRER. WHAT I WOULD SAY TO THE AMERICAN
PEOPLE ON THE ISSUE OF ECONOMICS
AND KITCHEN TABLE ISSUES IS,
LOOK AT THE PRESIDENT.
HE MAY SAY HE HAS YOUR INTERESTS
AT HEART BUT HE IS HELL BENT
AND DETERMINED TO TAKE AWAY YOUR
HEALTH CARE.
HEALTH CARE. READ THE COURT CASE HE IS
SUPPORTING.
SUPPORTING. THAT IS ABOUT TAKING AWAY YOUR
HEALTH CARE.
HEALTH CARE. AND LOOK.
AND LOOK. THE PRESIDENT IS VERY, VERY GOOD
AT MUD IG THE WATERS.
IT IS UP TO US --
>> THEN REALIZE PEOPLE AREN’T
GOING TO READ THAT REPORT.
THEY’RE GOING TO LISTEN TO THREE
WORD SLOGANS.
WORD SLOGANS. HOW DO YOU COMBAT THAT?
>> MY POINT IS IF IT IS ABOUT A
PUBLIC SENTIMENT IT IS NO THE
ABOUT THE REPORT.
MOST PEOPLE IN AMERICA AREN’T
GOING TO SPEND A LOT OF TIME ON
THE FINER POINTS OF OBSTRUCTION
OF JUSTICE.
OF JUSTICE. AND BE THE THREE PART TEST FOR
OBSTRUCTION.
OBSTRUCTION. >> NO, YOU SAID THEY SHOULD READ
IN ON THE PRESIDENT’S PROPOSAL
ON HEALTH CARE.
THEY’RE NOT GOING TO READ ALL OF
THAT.
THAT. THEY’RE JUST GOING TO LISTEN TO
WHO IS CONTROLLING THAT
NARRATIVE.
NARRATIVE. DO DEMOCRATS NEED TO SAY THIS IS
HOW THE PRESIDENT PLAYS THE
GAME, LET’S PLAY IT SMARTER AND
BETTER?
BETTER? >> STEPHANIE, I WAS A FRESHMAN
HERE WHEN WE PASSED THE
AFFORDABLE CARE ACT.
I AM HERE TO TELL YOU THAT IF
YOU GET THROUGH TO THE AMERICAN
PEOPLE ON SOMETHING AS CLOSE TO
HOME AS THEIR HEALTH CARE, AND
IF YOU MAKE THE CASE THAT THE
PRESIDENT IS DOING SOMETHING
THAT WOULD THROW 20 MILLION OF
YOU OFF YOUR HEALTH INSURANCE
AND DESPITE HIS LIES AND I THINK
EVERY AMERICAN KNOWS THIS
PRESIDENT IS A LIAR, DESPITE HIS
LIES IF YOU HAVE A PRE-EXISTING
CONDITION YOU WOULD BE VERY MUCH